Two Sheriff's Deputies Placed on Leave After Release of Graphic Nichols Footage

Moments earlier, the Memphis Police Department released four videos that documented the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Memphis police officers. All five cops have since been hit with murder charges among other offenses.

Two deputies with Tennessee's Shelby County Sheriff's Office were placed on administrative leave late Friday in connection to the police-involved beating death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.

The move was announced by Sheriff Floyd Banner Jr., who detailed in a statement that he came to the conclusion shortly after viewing footage of the fatal beating for the first time.

"Having watched the videotape for the first time tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols," the statement reads. "I have launched an internal investigation into the conduct of these deputies to determine what occurred and if any policies were violated."

It presently remains unclear how the two officials were involved, or what their role was at the crime scene.

An earlier statement issued by Bonner noted he was "troubled" by what he witnessed in the released footage, noting that the "horrible incident tarnishes the badge I wear."

In the wake of the Memphis footage, a wave of protests have broken out across the US, with demonstrations shutting down Interstate-55 and bringing traffic to a standstill in New York City's Times Square.

Demonstrations have largely remained peaceful, although a scuffle did momentarily break out in Times Square after officers appeared to take into custody one of the protests leaders. However, details remain slim on the matter.

The graphic footage released by the Memphis Police Department showed how five officers violently took Nichols into custody, and then proceeded to repeatedly punch and kick him all while handcuffed. At times, the offending officers were seen holding Nichols up as he fell to the ground.

The video also documents how multiple officers, including those who initially responded to the scene, milled around Nichols as he lacked medical attention. Some 22 minutes passed before a stretcher and ambulance was brought onto the site. During the elapsed period, Nichols is seen collapsing onto the ground on multiple occasions after being made to lean against a police cruiser.

Nichols ultimately succumbed to his injuries three days after officers stopped him over alleged reckless driving on January 7. An independent autopsy confirmed he had died as a result of a severe beating.